Inside Out 2 Cast (2024)
Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Pictures | Animation, Family, Comedy | 100 minutes | Directed by Kelsey Mann
Inside Out 2 is Pixar's 2024 animated sequel that returns to the inner world of Riley Andersen's mind — now as a 13-year-old navigating the pressures of adolescence and hockey camp. When puberty arrives, a new crew of emotions led by Anxiety storms in and overhauls headquarters, forcing Joy and the original emotions to fight to keep Riley's sense of self intact. The film became one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, earning over $1.6 billion worldwide.
The Inside Out 2 voice cast is anchored by Amy Poehler, who returns as Joy alongside a largely refreshed ensemble. The sequel introduces four brand-new emotion characters — most notably Anxiety, voiced with frantic energy by Maya Hawke — while also recasting two of the original five emotions. Lewis Black is the sole voice actor to reprise his role completely unchanged, still perfectly embodying Anger. Together, this Inside Out 2 cast brings remarkable depth and comic timing to Pixar's exploration of the teenage emotional landscape, with standout vocal performances from Ayo Edebiri and Paul Walter Hauser rounding out an ensemble that elevates the sequel well beyond a simple retread.
Main Voice Cast
Amy Poehler
Joy
The relentlessly optimistic lead emotion who has shaped Riley's personality since childhood, now struggling to adapt when Anxiety rewires headquarters.
Maya Hawke
Anxiety
A frenetic, orange-hued new emotion who arrives with puberty, convinced that planning for every worst-case scenario is the only way to protect Riley.
Lewis Black
Anger
The brick-red, steam-venting emotion who explodes at perceived unfairness — unchanged since the original film and voiced again by Lewis Black with signature comic fury.
Tony Hale
Fear
The lanky, purple emotion responsible for keeping Riley safe from danger, now voiced by Tony Hale following Bill Hader's departure from the role.
Liza Lapira
Disgust
The green, style-conscious emotion who filters what Riley finds distasteful — recast with Liza Lapira after Mindy Kaling voiced the character in the original.
Phyllis Smith
Sadness
The blue, bespectacled emotion who returns from the original film; Phyllis Smith reprises the role that earned widespread praise for its warmth and wry humor.
Ayo Edebiri
Envy
A small, green new emotion who fixates on what other people have, becoming one of Anxiety's key allies during the headquarters takeover.
Adèle Exarchopoulos
Ennui
A dark-blue, perpetually bored new emotion who communicates largely through deadpan sighs and operates her phone with a single finger — a sharp comedic highlight.
Paul Walter Hauser
Embarrassment
A large, pink, soft-spoken new emotion who shrinks whenever Riley faces a socially mortifying moment, providing the film's most endearing comic relief.
Kensington Tallman
Riley Andersen
The 13-year-old protagonist attending Firehawk hockey camp, whose mind serves as the battleground for the old and new emotions throughout the film.
Diane Lane
Mom (Riley's Mother)
Riley's supportive mother, voiced by Diane Lane with warmth and grounded authority, whose own inner world makes a brief appearance in the film.
Kyle MacLachlan
Dad (Riley's Father)
Riley's easygoing father, brought to life by Kyle MacLachlan, reflecting the same warm family dynamic established in the original film.
Supporting & Recurring Voice Cast
| Actor | Character | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amy Poehler | Joy | Lead emotion, protagonist of the film | Returns from original |
| Maya Hawke | Anxiety | New emotion; primary antagonist force driving the plot | New to sequel |
| Lewis Black | Anger | Original emotion; unchanged role and voice | Returns from original |
| Phyllis Smith | Sadness | Original emotion; crucial to the film's emotional resolution | Returns from original |
| Tony Hale | Fear | Original emotion; recast from Bill Hader | New actor, returning character |
| Liza Lapira | Disgust | Original emotion; recast from Mindy Kaling | New actor, returning character |
| Ayo Edebiri | Envy | New emotion; joins Anxiety's team at headquarters | New to sequel |
| Adèle Exarchopoulos | Ennui | New emotion; deadpan and disengaged, comic standout | New to sequel |
| Paul Walter Hauser | Embarrassment | New emotion; large, gentle, and acutely self-conscious | New to sequel |
| Kensington Tallman | Riley Andersen | 13-year-old protagonist; attended hockey camp | New actor, returning character |
| Diane Lane | Mom | Riley's mother; supportive parental figure | New to sequel |
| Kyle MacLachlan | Dad | Riley's father; warm and encouraging | New to sequel |
Creators & Production
Kelsey Mann
Director — Making his feature directorial debut after years as a Pixar story artist and director on short films.
Mark Nielsen
Producer — Long-time Pixar producer who oversaw the film's production pipeline.
Meg LeFauve
Screenplay — Co-writer of the original Inside Out returns to script the sequel, preserving the franchise's emotional intelligence.
Dave Mullins
Story — Contributing story work that helped develop the four new emotions central to the sequel's premise.
Andrea Datzman
Composer — Scored the film, building on Michael Giacchino's musical themes from the first film while establishing new motifs for the new emotions.
Pete Docter
Chief Creative Officer, Pixar — Creator of the original Inside Out; provided creative oversight on the sequel without directing.
About the Inside Out 2 Voice Cast
One of the most significant casting decisions in Inside Out 2 was the recasting of Fear and Disgust. Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, who voiced those emotions in the 2015 original, did not return for scheduling and other undisclosed reasons. Pixar chose Tony Hale — best known for Arrested Development and Veep — and Liza Lapira to step into those roles. Both actors deliver performances that honor the character personalities established in the first film while adding subtle new shadings. The transition was handled with enough care that general audiences largely accepted the new voices without disruption to the storytelling.
The decision to cast Maya Hawke as Anxiety proved to be the sequel's defining casting choice. Hawke brings a breathless, well-intentioned urgency to the character that makes Anxiety genuinely sympathetic even as she upends Riley's sense of self — the character is not a villain but rather an emotion acting in good faith with incomplete information. Ayo Edebiri's Envy is small in stature but sharp in delivery, while French actress Adèle Exarchopoulos brings an authentic world-weariness to Ennui that plays brilliantly against the other emotions' more expressive energy. Paul Walter Hauser's Embarrassment is physically the largest emotion in the film and psychologically the most fragile, and Hauser calibrates that contrast beautifully in his vocal performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who voices Joy in Inside Out 2?
Amy Poehler returns to voice Joy in Inside Out 2, reprising the role she originated in the 2015 original film.
Who voices Anxiety in Inside Out 2?
Anxiety is voiced by Maya Hawke. She is the central new emotion introduced in the sequel, arriving in Riley's mind when puberty begins.
When was Inside Out 2 released?
Inside Out 2 was released in theaters on June 14, 2024, by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures.
Who directed Inside Out 2?
Inside Out 2 was directed by Kelsey Mann, making it his feature directorial debut. Pete Docter, who directed the original, served as chief creative officer at Pixar but did not direct the sequel.
Which voice actors are new to Inside Out 2?
The new voice cast members in Inside Out 2 include Maya Hawke as Anxiety, Ayo Edebiri as Envy, Adèle Exarchopoulos as Ennui, and Paul Walter Hauser as Embarrassment. Tony Hale replaced Bill Hader as Fear, and Liza Lapira replaced Mindy Kaling as Disgust.
Who plays Riley in Inside Out 2?
Riley Andersen is voiced by Kensington Tallman in Inside Out 2. Riley is now 13 years old and attending hockey camp as she navigates adolescence.
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